The global shift to knowledge-based economies and increasingly rapid pace of technological advancement means that the question of how society deals with intellectual property (IP) and structures institutions and communities to manage and disseminate knowledge is critically important to our future. Our choices about ownership and sharing of technology will reflect and shape our societal values, practices and culture.

The Open IP Research Network has spent five terms drawing together a range of interdisciplinary issues that are under-represented in the literature, including i) how open approaches to intellectual property might challenge classical economics and political thought; ii) the values and motivations that drive individuals, firms and institutions to select a particular strategy for sharing knowledge and iii) policy choices relevant to Open IP that can shape the impact of emerging technologies on society.

We aim to build upon this work to put forward a more nuanced and rich perspective on the potential impact of Open IP and to advance an interdisciplinary research agenda. Therefore, during this sixth term of Open IP Research Network activities, our objective is to find collaborative opportunities through sharing current or planned research work, facilitated interactive exercises and break-out discussions.

This session (Part 1 of 2) will feature short talks from members of the group on their research in progress and we actively invite further contributions from researchers across the disciplines whose work intersects with our interests. Please email jcm80@cam.ac.uk if you would be willing to present.